Its definitely an interesting personnel package for Miami. I think teams would adjust to their nickle packages when we brought out that formation... with a Cover-3 look if they didnt want to play single high safety. Although, without premier speed on the perimeter, I'm not so sure that teams would be worried about running the single high safety with man coverage. In a Cover 2 nickle, you end up with a nickle LB on Clay in coverage, which I dont think many teams would be scared of doing, at least initially until Clay proved he could make them pay for it.
I think they'd be very scared considering that Bush against a WLB and Clay against a SLB in man-to-man is pretty damn frightening. They would revert to cover 3 as the best solution to keep their big personnel in I suppose. Alright well let's say they do. Let's say that the set-up is Bush-Marshall on the weak side and Clay-Hartline or Clay-Gates on the other. I think that the WLB can pretty easily get picked off by Marshall on a screen block allowing Bush to get some big gains and I know Clay can manhandle the SS in his zone. If the play action were to work I'd hate to see what happens on that play because the WLB has to read the PA (it's in a single-back set not even shotgun necessarily) and then race to the zone while the CB has to do the same. It's tough to get into that shell before Miami makes a very quick slant, quick throw to the flats etc etc. It could work, it could get the defense destroyed. I still think at the end of the day the defense will be forced to go into a nickel or even a dime in some way. If that's accomplished then I'm ok with it, I've won the battle that I wanted to win most which is making the defense undersized at the point of attack for the run game. If I've forced them to play say an extra safety on Clay and bring in another safety for Bush then they've given up way too much.
You know Alen's write-out actually shows something else that's pretty cool. If you go with 22 personnel the defense is either going to be undersized against the run (I can only imagine a CB in the box) or they're going to put in an extra LB. If it's an extra LB I think you can take advantage of that in space with Clay and you've retained your downfield speed overall, while maintaing your strength in the middle of the field. Not too many teams can actually field that many LBs that can cover even in a zone. If it's a safety they bring in (most likely) I think you force them to play you undersized in their nickel as the Pats did in week 1 and with Bush's speed and big-play ability it could be disastrous. The Chiefs brought in their backup SS to face Clay and that's just asking for it in the run game (which we gave it to them). Imagine what we could do if we had a second one of these dudes to come in for Fasano... Run on your dime?
Sorry Jaj for not responding sooner... I'm not sure I'm following you on the coverage though. If a team put a nickle defense on the field against that package, why would they use both of their LBs to cover Bush and Clay? What about the extra DB now on the field? If I were the DC, I'd put the extra DB on Bush and the Will on Clay, with the Sam on Lex? Unless Clay started killing the Will, I'd think a defense (at least initially) would be pretty comfortable trotting out that coverage in man against that package? It still would accomplish though a larger offensive front vs. a smaller defensive front to give you an advantage in the run game...
It's more about how fast you are on the football field relative to the other players on the field. If both times and plays at 4.7, but the 4.6 LBs he's playing against slow down to 4.7 or 4.8 then he's pretty good. Actually, what really matters is the ability to get separation. And speed is only one way to get separation.
I love what we've seen of Clay for the last two games...but we really have to see more of this before we start game planning him into formations...he just hasn't been healthy. Maybe next season, we'll see more of the full benefits his athleticism allows, but I doubt he'll be very consistent for us for the rest of this year.... I think we'll see some games where he disappears as well as the games like in KC...
Clay has only played 87 snaps at TE (28 at FB). He has been thrown at 6 times with 4 catches for 66 yards, and does have 1 drop. He grades out at a little above average in pass blocking, a hair below average in run blocking for the year. I've been impressed with what I've seen, even more so considering he was injured and trying to learn 2+ positions. I look forward to his development this year, and how he will respond when opposing teams star accounting for him. In looking at PFF's run down on Clay, I was very surprised to see Jeron Mastrod ranked #4 in run blocking, and above average in pass blocking on 119 snaps. That went right by me this season, gonna have to give him a look today.
Clay looks like a steal. Reminds me of a Dallas Clark type. He'll line up everywhere and makes the tough catches in the flat, down the field, and over the middle. First of hopefully many, many touchdowns for him.
I could watch the game, only heard it on the radio. But it seemed like he has also had a lot of key blocks for us. I think almost all of Reggie's big TD runs the last few weeks were set up by Clay blocks.
Marshall one catch for five yards. Dropped another TD. Clay four catches 69 yards and a TD. Haha. Clay struggled had to fight for that 47 yarder. The kind of big plays I love from a blue collar guy!
Why in the world would you just try to casually throw that comment in and troll for responses... meanwhile derailing a great thread about one of our promising rookies? Marshall has nothing to do with this thread in any way, and had nothing to do with the rest of your post. But keep trolling dude...
